New UITP president backs a people-first approach to AI
22 December 2025
Gautier Brodeo steps into the presidency of UITP with a clear stance: public transport wins or loses on human outcomes. Infrastructure and software matter, but only if they make daily trips easier and frontline work safer, simpler and more rewarding.
He takes over after Renée Amilcar's move to Mobilité Infra Québec, inheriting an organisation anchored in people, equity and long-term sustainability. With more than 25 years at RATP and leadership roles across UITP, Brodeo's focus is practical: clear strategy, clean execution, and support for members facing very different on-the-ground realities.
People-first AI: technology as an enabler
Digital tools and AI sit high on his agenda, but not as the hero. They should remove friction, not add it. "The passenger is entitled to the smoothest journey possible," he notes. That's the litmus test for any deployment.
- Prioritise use cases that simplify operations (dispatch, maintenance, incident response) and reduce customer effort end to end.
- Start with small steps: better data governance, cleaner processes, and interoperable standards before big platforms.
- Keep a human in the loop. Automation should raise service quality and job quality at the same time.
Closing the digital gap
Brodeo is blunt about equity: advanced systems cannot become a barrier. UITP will push open standards, capacity-building and peer learning so less-resourced agencies aren't left behind. In many cases, better data discipline beats expensive overhauls.
The goal: technology that serves the passenger and the people delivering the service-every city, every budget.
Resilience built on people, systems and innovation
Workforce shortages, digital change and asset renewal now intersect. Resilience requires all three pillars: support people, strengthen systems, and apply innovation where it counts. Brodeo points to practical sharing on recruitment, training, diversity and retention-especially in frontline roles.
Progress is visible. In Colombia, more women are stepping into leadership and operational posts in bus companies-proof that representation can move faster through shared learning and intent.
Asset renewal and cybersecurity, measured in decades
He argues for lifecycle planning that outlasts budget cycles. As digital control becomes core, cybersecurity must scale with it. A strong posture today prevents fragility tomorrow.
- Budget by lifecycle, not year. Tie asset performance to long-term service reliability.
- Align cyber with operations: incident playbooks, access control, and continuous testing.
Stable funding and a long view
Public transport underpins economic vitality, social inclusion and environmental goals. In Europe alone, almost 60 billion passenger journeys happen each year, with each euro of value creating several more across the wider economy. That demands multi-year funding frameworks-not short-term fixes-so agencies can plan and deliver with confidence.
Integration is a governance problem
Passengers should feel a single network, not a patchwork of modes. Walking and cycling belong inside that network by Design. Brodeo's point is simple: once authorities and operators commit to shared goals and joint accountability, integration follows.
- Shared KPIs across modes (reliability, door-to-door time, accessibility).
- Common data standards and fare policies that reward seamless trips.
Operations, maintenance, projects: fix the interfaces
Reliable service depends on disciplined maintenance, skilled teams and tight interfaces. "The devil is in the interfaces," he says. Most failures live there. Integrate operation, maintenance and projects early to reduce risk and keep assets earning their keep.
Action plan for leaders
- Audit your digital roadmap against a single test: does this remove friction for passengers and staff?
- Adopt open standards and shared data models to cut vendor lock-in and speed integration.
- Invest in frontline skills-AI, data literacy, customer care-so tech upgrades translate into better service. For structured options, see AI training by job role.
- Fund asset renewal on lifecycle timelines; publish a rolling ten-year view.
- Run cyber tabletop exercises with operations leaders, not just IT.
- Set joint goals across agencies and modes; make governance the driver of integration.
Brodeo closes on community. Public transport improves fastest when operators, authorities and industry learn out loud, share what works and keep people at the centre. That's the standard he's setting for UITP-and the benchmark leaders can use in every decision from AI pilots to capital plans.
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